Door to Door recyclables’ collection programs: willingness to participate

and influential factors: A case study in the city of Xanthi Greece

S. Amarantidou1, T. Tsalis1, P. Calabró2, I. Nikolaou1, D.Komilis1

1: Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

2: University of Reggio-Calabria, Calabria, Italy

21st June 2017

INTRODUCTIONThe most successful recycling method for packaging and organicsis considered to be the separation at the source.

Forms of application of this method are:

Curbside Collection (typical in Greece)

Door to door collection (Italy, Spain)

Collection at Green points or drop-off systems (Europe)

Collection of materials from special categories of sources of origin (Industrial, craft, mass catering) , and by particular population groups (Schools, Campuses)

Other systems (home and community composting)

• Citizens’ participation (participation rate)

Criterion for the success

Curbside recyclable collection scheme

The most typical recyclable collection systems worldwide thatimplements different colored bins for each of the different streams ofdry recyclables and organics/biowastes

ADVANTAGES

Flexible for users

Does not require much experience or training

DISADVANTAGES

Requires the permanent presence of containers in public places

Collection of materials of moderate purity

Curbside system with an access key

Door to door solid waste recyclable collection schemeResidents place their recyclables in special bins on specific days and hours to be collected by special vehicles

ADVANTAGES

Quality control of recyclable materials

Higher recovery rates

No requirement to place permanent containers in public places

DISADVANTAGES

Requirement for increased equipment-staff

Organized collection day planning

SITUATION IN EUROPE

It has been successfully implemented in Central Europe

(Italy, Germany)

Not implemented in Greece (pilot system in Chalandri).

It is thought to highly increase citizens’ participation rate in recycling

Green points – Drop-off points

Residents bring their own recyclables by car to specific locations

ADVANTAGES

No municipality collection

It is directed towards conscientious citizens

DISADVANTAGES

Participation rate?

SITUATION IN EUROPE

Popular in parts in Europe

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Social study Investigation of the factors that affect recycling and

the citizens’ intentions to participate in a door-to-door collection program

Correlate potential influential factors (variouseconomic and socio-demographic factors) with theintention to recycle and willingness to pay (WTP).

METHODOLOGY

Data collection

150 questionnaires

Personal interviews

Quotation around 25% Muslims, 72% Christians

Data analysis

The statistical analysis of the results to investigate statisticaldifferences was performed with SPSS®. Application of non-parametric statistical tests (Mann-Whitney U-test), the χ2 test aswell as by developing empirical models using categorical variables

METHODOLOGY

First sectionNine (9) closed-ended questions to examine the degree of public participationin recycling and to elicit respondents beliefs and attitudes toward recyclingand to explore their recycling behavior.Second sectionTwo (2) questions designed to record the attitude towards recycling and toexplore the recycling behavior .Third sectionSeven (7) closed-ended questions to investigate the willingness to participate in a door-to- door recyclable collection program (and home composting program for organics), as well as the willingness to pay for such recycling programs and their agreement with “pay as you throw systemsFourth sectionEconomic and social-demographic information of respondents (gender, age,occupation, income, number of family members, type of residence andreligion).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Economic and socio-demographic factors

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Current participation in the existing curbside system

Awareness over existing recycling system

Satisfaction over the existing Distance for disposal of recyclablesrecycling system

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Behavior in waste management Recycling rates per materials

Components Recycled Nuisance of existing Respondents perception thatrecycling system current system is problematic

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Quantity in recycling bags placed to the blue bin

Frequency of disposal of recycling bags

Disagreement with the opinion thatthe recycling is a waste of time

Reasons to ensure recycling

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

I don’t trust the agents responsible Reasons for no participation in recycling

For recycling

Preferred means to learn about recycling Willingness to participate in homecomposting program

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Agreement with ‘’ pay as you throw Willingness to pay exclusively for

system’’ recycling and home composting system

Willingness to participate in a door to door Number of bags that could be storedCollection program by respondents in their houses

CONCLUSIONS The individuals who were bothered from the current recycling system were more

willing to participate in a door to door collection (and home composting for organics).

The individuals who had a university degree were more willing to participate in a door to door collection program.

The individuals who had adopted positive attitude on recycling issues were more willing to participate in a door to door collection and home composting program.

The individuals who were aware of the operation and utility of a waste recycling were found to recycle in a higher frequency (more components and higher mass separated) compared to the ones that were not.

The individuals who considered the access distance to the waste recycling location non-satisfactory, recycled with a smaller frequency compared to the ones that consider it satisfactory.

In particular, the ones that could walk to a distance greater than 100 m to dispose of their recyclables, recycled to a higher extent (larger number of recyclable components) compared to the ones that could not walk higher distances

The individuals who claimed that they have positive attitude towards recycling of wastes, recycled to a higher degree compared to the ones that had a negative attitude

CONCLUSIONS (CONT.) The individuals who had a basic university degree recycle to a higher extent

compared to the ones that had a high school education or lower. In addition, those who were over thirty years old recycled to a higher degree than the younger ones.

The individuals who had an annual income over €21000 recycled to a higher degree compared to the ones with a lesser income.

The individuals who declared that are Christian Orthodox recycled to a higher degree compared to individuals that declared to follow the Islamic religion. However, this finding may not be attributed to religious orientations, since the Muslim individuals in this study had an average income lower than €21000 and an average education at the level of high school or lower.